This website iz dedecated to the Newcastle United groundhoppers
who follow the fortunes of the
team aroond the world
(and beyond!)
The ground totals include
competitive and friendly forst team, resorve team, junior team and Newcastle United X1 games that 'the mad-sad groundhopper' has attended, aall for Newcastle United games
only, in the last six decades***
cheers!***'Fink'
(the mad-sad groundhopper!)***last count 331

THE TOON 1 THE TEAM FROM THE 'PROPAA' STADIUM OF LIGHT 1 (BENFICA WIN 4-2 on AGGREGATE)

TWO! disallowed goals from Demba Cisse in this game plus his TWO! shots that hit the post last week in Lisbon, (but rebounded oot!), ultimately cost us this tie and we are heartbreakingleee oot of Europe for another year and a qwaata at least!<(due to the fact that wor current Premyaa Leegue position means we have 'ne chance' of qualifyin' for Europe next season!)'The Geordie Times'z' 113th competitive European game 'in a row'<(and the last, for a while!) started off with the visitors the brighter of the two teams and they nearly scored orly on when Lima went close with Toon goalie Tim Krul stranded. Then Haidara saved the day for us with a clearance from a Gaitan effort, az Benfica went for the 'jugular'!We simply couldn't get started and several passes went astray in the forst period az the clock ticked doon. Cisse waz then denied a goal just before the break @ 'The Leazes End' az the linesman flagged him for offside!The second half waz much better from wor point of view and we went 'hell for leather' to reduce the 3-1 deficit from the forst leg az the crowd got behind the team.Again, Demba Cisse foond the back of the net @ 'The Gallowgate End', but he waz denied once again by 'the liner'!

THE TOON ATTACK THE GALLOWGATE END(2nd half)

Cisse DID eventually get onto the scoresheet when he tapped in a simple effort with 20 minutes to gan to send 50,000 Geordies wild with delight, az the linesmans flag stayed doon!A 2-0 scoreline would give us the tie under the 'away goals rule' but we couldn't get the second goal. Ben Arfa who had came on az sub nearly 'did it', but his fine shot dipped ower the bar az the minutes ran doon!And then at 'the death' Benfica's Salvio fired in unmarked to put the tie beyond us az the 1,500 'Propaa' Stadium of Light Brigaders' celebrated in 'level 7' above us!

A fair result against a great team, but wor thoughts torned to the two chalked off goals, which could have put us through to the 'semis' and a trip 'TO HELL' against Torkish side Fenebache!

That's 20,000 miles we have travelled this season in Europe, from Greece to Madiera to France to Belgium to Ukraine to Rushaa and finally to Portugal!< (and groond number 300 off the 'mad-sad' groundhoppers' list!)The Euro trophy dream iz ower---for anothaa TWO YEARS at least!<(and aa didn't need to gan to Durham Passport Office to 'fast track' a new passport eethaa!) (see below!)